![VANCOUVER WORLD CUP, WOMEN’S EPEE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1703037001884-8XU1WUOSEISXGV2TA3OI/20231207_Poster_Vancouver+World+Cup.png)
VANCOUVER WORLD CUP, WOMEN’S EPEE
Event two for Alisha in this Paris Olympic cycle. After her success making the DEs at the Legnano World Cup in Nov the target to qualify for a spot at the Olympic Zonal Qualifier in April 2024 is already secured. From now on everything is about gaining more experience competing at an international level before relocating to Australia for two-months, Dec ’23 and Feb ’24, to train.
![IRISH NATIONAL CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, WOMEN’S EPEE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1702604383205-ZL62E2U1U2TPY110KXNT/20231112_Poster_National+Club+Team+Championships+2023.png)
IRISH NATIONAL CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, WOMEN’S EPEE
Selection for the team was ultimately based on national ranking. Which gave us; Anna-Lise Mion (3rd), Olga Nova (5th) and Megan Xu-Ran Piao (7th). It also maxed-out our female membership as our only other female member Alisha Mullen was competing in Canada. Fortunately for us having the all our female members at the top of the women’s epee rankings means it is a kick ass team. Anna-Lise is the current NI Open Champion, Olga after a season gap has raced up the rankings thanks to a series of medal positions in the first half of the season including; Intermediates 1st, Dublin Epee 2nd, Souths 3rd and Irish Open 3rd. Similarly, Megan has hit her stride this season with medals in the; Intermediates 2nd, Derry Open 3rd and Wests 3rd. If both Olga and Megan continue their current trajectory they will likely join Anna-Lise in the top 5 in the national rankings by the end of the season.
![NATIONAL CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, MEN’S EPEE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1702025085187-2Y121WL7VUBS18YD0DMH/20231112_Poster_National+Club+Team+Championships+2023.png)
NATIONAL CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, MEN’S EPEE
Brian Boru may be a relatively new club but it already has a great track record and a lot to live up to. In the two Club Championships held since BBFC formed the club has come second both time (see table below for details. There is also a long history over the last twelve years of BBFC members medalling as members of other clubs prior to BBFC formation (see the Appendix A for a full list of results and club member’s participation). The symmetry of winning second twice is done, it’s got to be gold this season.
![5 NATIONS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS, MEN’S EPEE TEAM](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1701227002848-9BQ9I3OF4K7ME4DWU3YV/20231116_Poster_Five+Nations+Mask+Poster.png)
5 NATIONS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS, MEN’S EPEE TEAM
Brian Boru members or members adjacent account for the bulk of the men’s team. Current Brian Boru members Dawid Kulka and Duncan Salter are joined by Tom O’Brien who is a founding member of Brian Boru Fencing Club and our first coach. Tom has been living in France for the last few years continuing his Pentathlon training in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifying cycle.
![5 NATIONS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS, SQUAD PROFILE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1701226300382-4LG0AH4PTHE97B5I6YTD/20231116_Poster_Five+Nations+Mask+Poster.png)
5 NATIONS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS, SQUAD PROFILE
Brian Boru members accounted for half of the Epee teams (men’s and women’s), in addition to training mate Isobel-Radford Dodd from Pentathlon Ireland. There is a broad mix of Five Nations experience levels, for women’s Epee Alisha Mullen has been on two of the last three Five Nations squads (England 2016 and Ireland 2019) and Anna-Lise Mion was on the Squad in 2017 when the Five Nations were in Cardiff. This is Isobel’s first Senior Five Nations but she was on the first two Junior Five Nations squads including the last in 2019 held in Maynooth.
For Men’s Epee the Five Nations old lag is Dawid Kulka, who has appeared on two of the last three squads in 2016 (Manchester) and 2017 (Wales) and on the All Ireland Veteran Four Nations squad the last two outings in Dublin (2023) and Bristol (2022). For Duncan Salter this is his first time on the Senior Irish Five Nations squad but has been a regular on the Veteran Four Nations squad for the last 10 years. The Veteran Four Nations doesn’t skip years and have managed two full cycles over the last 10 years. To young yet the Veteran team Tom has like Dawid been on the Senior Squad twice, the last two outings in 2017 and 2019.
![DUBLIN EPEE, MEN’S WHEELCHAIR](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700623671526-RQR63YW6SZVEO389UH9X/20231117_DublinEpee_PosterThumbnail.png)
DUBLIN EPEE, MEN’S WHEELCHAIR
My first impression, it was great fun but it was so ‘fast and furious’ it made Sabre seem like geriatric snail racing. The colloquial name for wheelchair basketball is ‘murderball’, I’m not sure what the equivalent for wheelchair fencing would be but it needs one.
![DUBLIN EPEE, WOMEN](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700614136988-Y89KBXQ6H0CEL5EN1KCE/20231117_DublinEpee_PosterThumbnail.png)
DUBLIN EPEE, WOMEN
What matters is quality and the entry standard from Brian Boru remains top notch with members on on-form; Andreea Catalina (1st), Olga Nova (5th) and Megan Xu-Ran Piao (7th). Olga started the season unranked and Megan 18th, thanks to a string of excellent results and a good number of medals they are both racing up the rankings. Olga’s awards so far this season are a gold (Intermediates) and two bronzes (South of Ireland Open and Irish Open). Megan has a silver (intermediates) and also two bronzes (West of Ireland Open and Derry Open). Andrea’s only defeat over the last two seasons was to Alisha at the 2023 West of Ireland Open.
![EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 1](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700612301403-FFCTSRFSSSA6CIB3XIF6/20231111_Thumbnail_Intro.png)
EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 1
There are 28 fencers entered in Dawid’s category, with Dawid seeded 8th going into the competition. Ahead of Dawid are three ranked in the Top 5 of the European Veteran rankings, in fact the actual top three fencers in Europe.
![EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 4](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700613055595-2O234D4N6B4U05EH07NP/20231111_Thumbnail_Intro.png)
EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 4
Judging the Category 4s off their post Madrid rankings you can see that of those present there are two of the top 5 ranked epeeists in Europe; No.1 Juan Fernando Damas Flores (ESP) and No.3 Benoit Pincemaille (FRA). The remaining Category 4s are; Bernard Dufau (FRA) No.21, Francois Amanrich (FRA) No.30 and Joao Faria No.43.
![EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, WOMEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 2](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700612697570-SR1ZD7P8YIIA50UH18QK/20231111_Thumbnail_Intro.png)
EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, WOMEN’S EPEE CATEGORY 2
There are 19 fencers entered in Anna-Lise’s category, however presumably due to low numbers in category 3 and 4 events the poules for all three were combined. This meant for the poules there were 29 competing, even though there were only 19 in Anna-Lise’s category. Anna-Lise’s initial European ranking was 102nd seeding her 22nd for the poules. Of the fencers present three were ranked in the European top ten including the No.1 seed Ibolya Hoffmann (HUN) a Category 4 fencer, No.3 Mariette Mason (GBR) a Category 3 and Rosa Cano Diosa (ESP) Category 2.
![EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MADRID](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1700611167608-FU7U6DZ90X3JHHAYPC24/20231111_Thumbnail_Intro.png)
EUROPEAN VETERAN CIRCUIT, MADRID
Brian Boru members defending the honour of Irish Veterans internationally; Pat Lynch, Anna-Lise Mion and Dawid Kulka. All are competing in different age categories; Dawid is competing in Category 1 (40s), Anna-Lise Category 2 (50s) and Pat Category 4 (70s).
(click the event title to read the profile of Brian Boru members entered)
![LEGNANO WORLD CUP, WOMEN’S EPEE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1699764374215-S2MOBV6BTPJMIKK1271C/161088-FIE_New_banner_web.png)
LEGNANO WORLD CUP, WOMEN’S EPEE
Alisha starts the 2023/2024 Olympic season with her first FIE international in Italy at the Legnano Epee World Cup. The target for the year is building on previous results, improve her FIE world ranking and qualification for the European Olympic Zonal Championships in April 2024. Fencing Ireland’s qualification criteria for the European Olympic Zonal is to “‘make the cut’ at a World Cup event”. To achieve this goal Alisha has the season’s competitions mapped out, including a two month stretch from Dec ’23 and Feb ’24 in Australia to train.
![LEINSTER TEAM EPEE LEAGUE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1699235343401-TAO2HCPKMCDVOAPW7AY1/20230%3D1004_Poster_Leinster+Team+Epee+League+2023.png)
LEINSTER TEAM EPEE LEAGUE
Annual Leinster Team Epee League, round robin Epee competition between mixed teams from clubs based in the Leinster region. This year there were eight teams entered from four Leinster club; Brian Boru Fencing Club, Pentathlon Ireland, Ravenwood and DUFC.
![WEST OF IRELAND OPEN, Women’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1697573526902-TC5FP31CCU1EH051IFWN/20231017_Thumbnail_WestofIreland.png)
WEST OF IRELAND OPEN, Women’s Epee
The second National Circuit event of the season and the stakes are high. Andreea is still undefeated and the returning West of Ireland Champion, but the 15:12 score in the final of the Souths with Alisha has put down a marker showing that Andreea’s challengers are getting closer. As the returning champion Andreea has points on the line and if Alisha can pull off a win there is a potentially big swing in the ranking points.
![DERRY OPEN, Men’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1696808967038-FRF5AGPL2EBL23JJIPLI/20231007_Poster_Main+Thumbnail.png)
DERRY OPEN, Men’s Epee
Only the dedicated hard core made the pilgrimage to Derry, either to defend or hopefully improve, last year’s results. Yes, this group not only migrated North this season but did last year as well. Given the marathon journeys Jonathan Burnside makes from Derry to attend almost every Irish competition it seems only fair to return the curtesy when the competition is on his home turf.
(click the competition title to open the full Men's Epee match report)
![INTERMEDIATES, Women’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1696301938288-UIJ4SW56CLFD8WNY8FOE/307579490_3055205771445000_5985460999943405090_n.jpg)
INTERMEDIATES, Women’s Epee
For the BBFC women the upside is a little higher than for the men as none had entered the Intermediates in 2022. All have just 1 or 2 results making up their national rankings so all would gain positively just by participating in the event, let alone if they medalled, as they could all be reasonably be expected to do.
![INTERMEDIATES, Men’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1696214858510-5ZPEFJ5AUTV8HHMEO6RU/307579490_3055205771445000_5985460999943405090_n.jpg)
INTERMEDIATES, Men’s Epee
The joy and pleasure of winning the intermediates is that you can never entered again. The paradoxically emotional conundrum at the base of anyone entering the intermediates for the dozenth time. As a category C event there a very few ranking points at stake so the potential impact on any BBFC member’s ranking will be minimal. For any who don’t have six events to complete their ranking score already and didn’t enter the Intermediate last year have the most to gain.
(click the competition title for the full Men's Epee match report)
![SOUTH OF IRELAND OPEN, Men’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1695695173221-YJW9DKY9CPSOCCVDY7NH/369182765_9630338080370312_7246573818660544156_n.jpg)
SOUTH OF IRELAND OPEN, Men’s Epee
The first competition of the National Circuit and the stakes are already high both individually and for BBFC. Four BBFC’s fencers are in the top 10 of the Irish National Rankings with key ranking points, their highest, coming from the Souths last year. Importantly Dawid was last year’s Souths champion and will be eager to retain his title won by a razor thin 15:14 margin against BBFC team mate Paddy in the final, after Dawid beat fellow team mate Duncan in the semi-final by the same 15:14.
(click the competition title for the full men's epee report to open)
![SOUTH OF IRELAND OPEN, Women’s Epee](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1695599041950-04QIPXFQS142YGV214VE/369182765_9630338080370312_7246573818660544156_n.jpg)
SOUTH OF IRELAND OPEN, Women’s Epee
Megan and Lucy will be under pressure initially. Neither Olga or Alisha entered the Souths last year and have nothing to lose. Olga who didn’t compete last season will only gain from any result and Alisha has no points at risk and her nearest rivals in the National Rankings aren’t competing (Anna-Lise, Isobel Radford-Dodd). Both Megan and Lucy however, came 3rd in the Souths last season and with just 2 and 4 results behind their rankings their positions will be vulnerable.
(click the competition title for the full women's epee report to open)
![KING OF THE HILL](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62fe4544faa9435ace5bff96/1695166330100-F7WCN2JEQN58MBIKG41U/20230826_KingOfTheHill_Poster_No+BBFC.png)
KING OF THE HILL
With the South of Ireland Open kicking off the formal Irish Fencing circuit next weekend (23rd/24th September) we decided to have a little fun and give people a warmup before the main event. The King of the Hill format was designed to stretch everyone.
(click the competition title for the full report to open)